Is intergenerational living a solution for affordable care?

Posted on 23/09/2015

With an ever-growing ageing population and
the need for sustainable and affordable care, we’re all looking for new ways to
ensure that elderly people get the help that they need without having to find
large sums of money to fund residential care services.

One option is through intergenerational
living. A bit of a mouthful to say, this simply means having different
generations living under one roof to the benefit of all parties. At its
simplest, this is reverting back to a popular past option of moving elderly
parents in to live with their children and families.

If you are worried about elderly parents,
then this is a way to provide any help and support that they need
without crippling care home fees. However, it can be difficult if you also have
to juggle work and a young family (see our guide to being a family
carer), but some intergenerational households are finding ways to make it
work by reaping benefits at both ends of the scale.

Childcare is also an expensive prospect,
especially for families where both parents work. If grandparents are often
called upon to help out for babysitting duties, but they also need a little
more help around the house themselves, then moving them in can solve two
problems at once. They can help with after-school childcare and have time to
bond with their grandchildren, and in return they can get home-cooked meals, a
clean home and help with daily tasks, for example.

It also solves a problem of loneliness,
which is a real issue among many elderly people, especially those who find
themselves alone after the death of a spouse. Having the company and the
responsibility of looking after young grandchildren can help to give them
purpose and comfort, which can also aid them to continue to live more
independent and active lifestyles.

There are ways that you can make
intergenerational living work for you. For example, ensure that everyone has
their own private space – you don’t want to be living on top of each other. You
also need to set out rules and expectations in advance – when do each of you
need help with tasks? Setting out a schedule helps you to continue planning
your own life around each other. You also need to be flexible. You might find
that over time your elderly parent needs more help than you can manage alone,
and you may consider having a paid
carer to help with some tasks. You may also have to find alternative
childcare solutions in some circumstances.

Intergenerational living isn’t just about
the extended family, however, it can also refer to other solutions. For
example, a pilot project run by Age UK Oxfordshire and Novus
Homeshare (read more about it in this
article) started this summer as a way to help two generations at once. It
looked at solving the problem of a lack of affordable housing for younger
people, and older people who felt lonely living in large houses alone. The
solution was to match young people to live in the homes of older people. The
younger person was to provide some companionship every week, as well as
performing domestic chores, in return for a lower-cost place to live. There are
other homeshare solutions available around the country, which you can read more
about on the Shared
Lives Plus website.